The present invention relates generally to intermodal trains for transporting over-the-road vehicles or loads and more specifically to a lock and coupler for a ramp car for such trains.
The design of special cars to be used in a railroad system to carry containers or trucks or truck trailers has generally been modification of existing railroad stock. These systems have not been designed to accommodate for the specific loads thus, have not taken advantage of these lighter loads. The economy and operation as well as original material were not taken into account.
An integral train is a train made up of a number of subtrains called elements. Each element consists of one or two power cabs (locomotives) and a fixed number of cars. A typical example is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,291 to Engle. A complete train would consist of a number of elements. The elements could be rapidly and automatically connected together to form a single train. It is expected that in certain cases elements would be dispatched to pick up cargo and then brought together to form a single train. The cargo could then be transported to the destination and the elements separated. Each element could then deliver its cargo to the desired location. Each element would be able to function as a separate train or as a portion of a complete train. The complete train could be controlled from any element in the train. The most likely place for control would be the element at the head end of the train, but it was anticipated that under circumstances such as a failure in the leading unit, the train would be controlled from a following element.
The elements themselves may be as long as 1,000 feet long with each of the cars being 28 feet long. The loading and unloading of trailers onto and from the cars have generally required a concrete deck at the height of the car. Thus the elements generally are limited to be unloaded at special dock platforms.
A ramp car designed for trains which allows loading and unloading of trucks from a train at any location is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,443. The ramp car includes two ramps split in half when the two ramp portions are moved relative to each other. The original disclosed lock mechanism did not assure that the locking pin or bolts is maintained in its unlocked position until the lower ramp is removed from the recess or locking area and maintained out of the locking area until the lower ramp is inserted. Because the ramp car's pneumatic control lines may be disconnected before the interlock plate moves into position, the pin may fall into the locking area prematurely. Also there is no automatic coupling and decoupling of the fluid control lines and the electrical control lines running through out the train when the ramp car was assembled and disassembled.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved locking mechanism which insures that the locking element or latch is maintained in an unlocked position as the lower ramp is removed therefrom.
Another object of the present invention is to provide automatic couplers for the fluid and electrical controls in the ramp car.
These and other objects are achieved by providing a retainer for retaining a catch, which is received in a catch aperture to lock the ramp in a locking area, in the catch unlocking position while the ramp exits the locking area. This is independent of air pressure. The retainer in two embodiments includes a catch edge on the catch, a latch for engaging the catch edge and an arm connected to the latch and having an end in the locking area for disengaging the latch from the catch edge in response to the movement of the ramp in the locking area. In one embodiment, a catch plate in the locking area receives the catch as the ramp exits the locking area. The catch plate engages the arm of the latch to disengage the latch from the catch edge as the ramp is exiting the locking area. In a second embodiment the latch may be configured such that the ramp engages the arm of the latch to disengage the latch from the catch edge as the ramp enters the locking area. The second latch embodiment includes two jaws wherein a first jaw engages the catch when the catch is moved into an unlocked position and the ramp is in the slide. The second jaw engages the catch edge when the ramp exits the locking area and the second jaw disengages the catch edge as the ramp enters the locking area and allows the catch to enter the latch apertum.
The retainer can also be described as including a pivoted arm having an end in the locking area for engaging the ramp. In a first position of the arm, the retainer retains the catch in the unlocked position as the ramp exits the locking area. In a second angular position of the arm, the retainer permits the catch to enter the catch aperture as the ramp enters the locking area. For the previously described two jaw retainer, the first jaw engages and retains the catch when the catch is moved into the unlocking position and the arm is in the second position. The second jaw engages and retains the catch when the arm is in the first position and disengages the catch when the arm is in the second position. For the two jaw embodiment, the arm of the retainer is pivotally connected to the ramp car and the first jaw is pivotally connected to the combined arm and second jaw. A third embodiment of the retainer includes an arm pivotally connected to the catch, the arm rides on and maintains the first position as the ramp exits the locking area. The arm is moved into the second position by the entry of the ramp into the locking area to allow the catch to enter the catch aperture when they are aligned.
A fluid coupler including first and second housings connected to a respective first and second ramp car portion, automatically couples a first and second portion of a main reservoir pipe and a first and second portion of a brake pipe. A main reservoir coupling port and a brake coupling port in each of the housings are connected by a passage to a main reservoir pipe port and brake pipe port. An actuator responsive to the positions of the first and second housings relative to each other closes valves in each of the main reservoir passages when the first and second housings are separated and opens the valve when the first and second housings are joined. The main reservoir coupling ports each include a coupler resiliently mounted therein for mating with a respective coupler and the actuators are connected to the coupler so as to operate the valve, as a function of the position of the coupler in the main reservoir coupling port. A spring is provided as part of the valve for closing the valve and also forms part of the resilient mounting of the coupler in the coupling port. The brake coupling port also includes a coupler resiliently mounted thereto for mating with the respective coupler.
An electrical coupler, for the electrical cable running throughout the train, automatically couples the first portion of the electrical cable on the first ramp car portion to a second portion of the electrical cable on the second ramp car portion when the ramp is in its raised travel position. The fluid and electrical couplers include alignment elements for aligning the first and second housings during mating along the mating axis. The first housing is mounted to the first ramp car portion so as to allow movement of the first housing along the mating axis. The second housing portion is mounted to the second ramp car portion so as to allow movement of the second housing transverse to the mating axis to facilitate alignment.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.